Generation Guard Clinical Digital Thermometer Review

To measure a fever for most adults, newborns, and pets, we recommend the Clinical Digital Thermometer from Generation Guard. In a sea of sameness, this thermometer stands out with its combination of accuracy, features, and great customer service. It measures temperatures orally, under arm, and rectally.

How Does It Work?

After turning it on, place the thermometer in your desired test position. A reading on this thermometer takes about 15 seconds. Around the 15 second mark, the thermometer will emit a few long beeps. At that point you can read the temperature.

The thermometer will keep reading the temperature if you leave it in place. Users found that the reading stabilized even further after an additional 10 seconds. We verified this in our test, but found the difference to be small. For the best results, you can wait 10 secs after the beeps, but for babies, fussy kids, and pets we don't think the difference is worth the extra time.

Once removed from the test position, the temperature locks. An easy-to-read LCD screen will display the temperature and will automatically turn off after 10 minutes.

What Works

Olivia Geyelin

Accurate temperature readings in 15 seconds.

Long, quiet beeps notify you about the initial measurement.

If the temperature is above 100°F, a fever alarm beeps rapidly in sets of three.

The screen displays the last recorded temperature when it's turned on.

Its water-resistance makes it easy to clean.

The flexible tip makes rectal use on babies and pets more comfortable. The grippy silicone exterior adds to the ease of use.

Generation Guard's customer service is the most comprehensive of the digital stick thermometers we reviewed. In addition to a responsive team, they offer a 30 day refund and a one year replacement warranty for purchases on their site or Amazon.

What Could Be Better

The display is not backlit, which makes reading temperatures in the dark challenging. If a backlit display is important to you we recommend the iProvèn DMT-489. We searched for a backlit digital stick alternative, but were unable to find one where a significant number of users did not report inaccurate temperature readings.

A small, but noteworthy amount of Amazon reviews cite insufficient battery or receiving the product with a dead battery. If you receive a product with a dead battery, the thermometer is covered by a 30 day refund and a one year replacement warranty. To preserve battery life, Generation Guard recommends turning the product off once you are done using it. As a side note, the thermometer displays "Lo" for temperatures below 90°F. A battery symbol will appear on the screen if you're running low.

Some users and Best Reviews noted the beep was difficult to hear, but we could hear our unit easily. If you can't hear your thermometer, we recommend reaching out to Generation Guard for a replacement.

Warranty and Customer Support

Generation Guard provides the most comprehensive customer support for these types of thermometers. This is one of the key reasons for our recommendation.

They offer refunds within 30 days and free replacements of defective units within a year. Although the one year warranty does not extend to the battery, units that reach the customer with a dead battery are eligible to be replaced. These policies apply to purchases through their site and Amazon.